WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR NIGERIA?

Since President Muhammadu Buhari took office on 29th May, 2015, Nigerians have been making demands severally in the media on issues they would want the government to address. The wish list of citizens is so long.  The government alone cannot solve all problems confronting our country.  We all have to find solutions to the numerous problems beginning right from the family level, community, local, state, national, civil society organisations, faith and community based organisations and Nigerians in the Diaspora.

The challenges before Nigeria are enormous and require that all good hands must be on deck in order to tackle head-on these problems. Is it insecurity, corruption, infrastructure deficit, epileptic power supply, youth unemployment, kidnapping, human trafficking, extreme poverty, hunger, environmental degradation, pollution, ethics and values, lack of  social housing, disease, illiteracy, ignorance, indiscipline, impunity, absence of  community service, among others.

It is therefore worrisome that Nigerians daily make demands on government without indicating what they can do to make a difference to their neighbours, communities, and the country. Or what they can do to inculcate moral values in their children for the betterment of society.

The level of indiscipline in our country is mind-boggling. A visitor arriving Abuja the Federal Capital from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport is welcomed by pedestrians dashing across the express way at great risk to their lives and those of motorists instead of using the overhead bridges provided for their safety. Equally disturbing is the fear of head-on collision with motorists who drive against the traffic without regards to the great risk they pose to other road users.  Why has the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) not deemed it necessary to address the nuisance being perpetuated on the Airport Express Way and that of Kubuwa.

The roads leading into the capital city from Zuba and Keffi axis expose visitors to the slumps and squalor dwellings of Abuja. The Keffi dual carriage way now serves as a dumping ground for refuse. The situation of the Zuba road which has the Zuma Rock tourist site is equally filthy. This kind of attitude does not support development.  The inhabitants of these settlements should organise themselves to watch over   their environment to ensure that refuse is only dumped in designated collection points.  The Nasarawa State government is doing its best but the sheer huge population of these settlements namely; Marraba, One Man Village, New Nyanya, Ado, Karu and Masaka present a great challenge which calls for all good hands to be on deck to tackle this problem. This is just one example of the numerous challenges facing our country. Government alone cannot address all the problems.

It is therefore necessary for all Nigerians to join hands with the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the numerous challenges facing our country. With each one of us contributing positively in his or her little corner and by so doing bring CHANGE to our fatherland.